2009-2010

Issues

Budget, 2011

Both Republican and Democrat Senators were concerned that they didn't have enough time to before voting up or down the $1.2 billion in cuts to Gov. Pat Quinn’s introduced $35.4 billion budget.

As the Senate President, Sen. John Cullerton sought this vote in a time crunch that made many senators uncomfortable.

“When we make these cuts they are real, and they affect real people,” Sen. Mike Jacobs said. “So we do have to be careful and I do agree with my colleague Senator (William) Delgado that we should go through this list slowly, completely and without an eye on which constituent gets help and what constituent gets hurt, but based on numbers.”

Sen. Matt Murphy said he too was concerned about the small time frame and reiterated his concern that reductions in spending as introduced don’t go far enough.

“I don’t know that that gets us to a point where the tax increase goes away. I think the numbers, the way they run out, will not allow the tax increase to go away if we’re only at 1.2 (billion dollars),” Murphy said.

The state increased the personal and corporate income taxes earlier this year by 67 percent and 45.9 percent, respectively. The tax increases will expire in four years unless the General Assembly votes to extend them.[2]

Sex offenders

The Cook County Sheriff’s Office backs a legislation that would give law enforcement an extra tool to prevent registered sex offenders from harassing victims and their family members. Jacobs co-sponsored the measure.

House Bill 277 would make harassment of victims and their families by sex offenders a felony, which carries a two- to five-year prison sentence and a fine of up to $25,000.

A convicted child sex offender in Harvey inspired the legislation. This offender harassed a victim and the victim’s family at home with repeated phone calls to prevent them from testifying in court.

“This will allow courts to go after people who victimize people, and then victimize their family,” said Sen. Jacobs.

The state Senate voted 57-0 to approve the measure, which returns to the House for approval, as of May 23, 2011.[3]